Design and 3D print new geometries for adsorption processes
ApplyProject Description
Adsorption processes are emerging separation technologies that have the potential to cut energy consumption in many different separations vital to society. Adsorption-based processes are used in many different fields ranging from air separation, hydrogen purification and extensively in liquid phase; adsorption is the phenomenon that takes place in chromatography.
While the adsorption properties of the material are important, its shaping can significantly contribute in reducing the pressure drop across the columns and thus avoiding use of compressors.
In this project the student will learn how to use advanced design tools for design new shapes that can be produced by technologies like casting and 3D printing. Evaluation of the pressure drop across the columns filled up with the designs will be done both numerically and experimentally.




About the
Researcher
Carlos Grande
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering

Desired Project Deliverables
Learn how to produce novel designs and transform them into high quality meshes for 3D printing. Rhino3D and Grasshopper will be used for parametric geometry design.
Categorize the advantages, but also the limitations of 3D printing as a manufacturing tool for chemical reactors.
Determine the energy consumption associated to the pressure drop across the column.
Make simple computational fluid dynamic simulations and participate in a joint scientific publication.